Thursday - June 4th, 2026
Apple News
×

What can we help you find?

Open Menu
September 3rd, 2025

78: What if everything you thought you knew about success was wrong?

  1. 78: What if everything you thought you knew about success was wrong? 29:54

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Poonam Gaur, COO of Imigo Education and Migration, author of “NRI: Non-resident Idiot,” and Mrs. India – Pride of Nation 2017. Originally a nutritionist from India, Poonam moved to Australia eight years ago and built an impressive career while juggling Family life. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, she reveals the mindset shifts that create freedom, including the art of mental compartmentalisation and how to be 100% present while building multiple income streams.

She also shares why tomorrow is always your opportunity to rewrite everything, the daily non-negotiables that keep high-performers grounded, and how prayer and music maintain energy when everything feels impossible. We also discuss developing thick skin and unwavering conviction, learning from setbacks without losing momentum, and why most people quit right before their breakthrough.

Poonam reveals how she went from feeling like a “Non-resident Idiot” (yes, that’s the actual title of her book) to building Imigo Education and Migration, a company with international offices helping thousands escape the trap that catches 60-70% of skilled migrants: working beneath their potential because nobody told them the real rules of the game. She proves that the system can be beaten through her own personal success story.

This isn’t another “follow your passion” story. This is about what happens when life strips away everything you thought made you valuable—and how the right person turns that devastation into empire.

Poonam Shares Why Most People Stay Stuck Forever:

  • The real reason 60-70% of skilled migrants never work in their field again (hint: it’s not what you think).
  • Why having qualifications means bugger all if you don’t understand the invisible rules.
  • The cultural adjustment trap that keeps high-achievers working survival jobs.
  • How “starting over” becomes a prison sentence instead of freedom.

Hear About The Migration Trap:

  • Why most skilled migrants get trapped in survival jobs (cleaning, hospitality etc.) instead of their profession, losing years of career progression and never rebuilding their professional networks.
  • The one mistake that costs families their financial future.
  • 90% of migrants can’t explain why they migrated, spending life savings only to struggle in low-paying jobs for years.
  • How Poonam cracked the code that others spend decades trying to figure out—she discovered migration and recruitment are “two sides of the same coin.” Most agencies only handle visas, leaving clients to navigate Employment alone.
  • Real success stories that prove the system can be beaten.

👥 CONNECT WITH POONAM GAUR

🌎 Website: https://immigo.com.au/

📍 Office: Level 1, 91 George St., Parramatta NSW 2150

💬 Email: [email protected]

📸 LinkedIn: Poonam Gaur

Follow us & tag your reflections over on Instagram:

📲 @thriveandshineco

📲 @inspired_to_thrive_podcast

🌎www.phoebelay.com.au/podcast

📚 BOOK MENTIONED

“NRI: Nonresident Idiot” by Poonam Gaur

🎧 SUBSCRIBE for more powerful convos weekly. Turn on the 🔔 to never miss an episode!

#migrationjourney #entrepreneurlife #businessgrowth #culturaladjustment #passionandpurpose #leadershipmindset #migrantexperience #businesssuccess #personaldevelopment #inspirationalstory #podcastinterview #inspiredtothrive

Phoebe Lay Inspired to Thrive and Shine Podcast

Phoebe Lay is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, mentor, and speaker who’s deeply passionate about helping people rise, shine, and thrive — in business and in life.

Through her podcast Inspired to Thrive and Shine, she shares heartfelt, empowering conversations that inspire growth, resilience, and purpose.

Her journey through entrepreneurship, personal development, and self-discovery fuels the authentic, empowering conversations she brings to her global audience, blending real-world business acumen with heart-led storytelling.

With years of experience guiding coaches, creatives, and founders, Phoebe has helped countless individuals grow their visibility, own their voice, and build brands that reflect their soul’s work. Inspired to Thrive and Shine is her way of amplifying those stories — the raw, the resilient, the powerful — to remind us that we’re never alone on the path to purpose.